For the second time that day, Howard ran for his life. He tried not to think that all it would take was for him to trip on the large area rug beneath this feet, slip on the smooth tile in front of the door, or twist his ankle as he rounded the corner outside to reach the van. Because all they needed was the smallest of openings and they would be on him, ripping him to shreds.

Soo saw him coming and scrambled into the back seat to open the door. Howard hit the van in full stride, smashing his shin against the door frame and his face into his rifle as he ran into the back of the seats. Soo slid the door shut just seconds before the h.o.a.rd slammed into the side of the vehicle. She thought for a terrible moment the force of the impact might actually tip over the van. Emily screamed. Howard shouted something from the floor of the van as he tried to untangle himself. One of the rear windows broke. The roar outside the van was deafening. Claws and teeth, mandibles and flesh, pounded and scratched and clawed against steel and gla.s.s.

"What happened? Where are they?" Soo shrieked.

"Gone," Howard managed between gasps. "They're gone."

"What? No!" Another rear window shattered.

"We have to get out of here, now!"

After what felt like minutes, Soo finally climbed into the driver's seat. She shoved the van into gear and floored it, shaking off only about half of the creatures. Some still hung on by any crack or crevice they could hook into. One of them attempted to crawl through the broken rear window before Howard shoved his rifle into its face and pulled the trigger. The gunshot inside the vehicle was deafening but effective.

Soo drove around the circle driveway, fighting the overwhelming urge to keep the accelerator to the floor, and steered back toward the front of the hotel. Dave stood on the awning over the front door, waving his arms like a mad man.

"What the h.e.l.l?" Soo gasped. "What should I do?"

Dave stood at the edge and frantically pointed to the driveway below him.

"Pull up there," Howard said. "I think he wants to jump onto the roof."

Soo swerved to miss one creature but hit another head on, crushing it under the front wheels. She floored the van and plowed into the swarm below Dave. She slowed down as much as she dared and was relieved to hear the loud thud as Dave hit the van's roof. He pounded with his fist and Soo floored it.

The creatures swarmed the van again. Soo jumped the curb of the driveway and ran over the shrubs. For a moment she thought they were stuck as the vehicle slowed and the engine struggled. It managed to break free and Soo regained control, steering the van back onto the driveway and heading for the gates.

The last straggler fell off the van moments before they smashed through the front gates of the resort. Soo turned onto the A-1, heading east toward Montego Bay. The trail of creatures on the highway had thinned, the closest being at least a hundred yards away, so Soo stopped.

Dave slid off the roof and hopped into the van. His triumphant grin faded. "Where's Tre and Ann?"

Fifteen.

Soo couldn't stop sobbing. She pulled over and crawled into the back seat so Dave could drive. Howard pulled Soo close on one side and Emily on the other, comforting them. He told Soo again there was nothing they could have done. He said it to Soo, but meant it mostly for himself. Maybe he could have done something differently. Maybe they had been still alive in there, fighting them off, and he just left them behind.

"Hey," Dave snapped. He looked at Soo in the rearview mirror. "Plenty of time for crying later. I need you to get your s.h.i.t together. Okay Soo? Don't fall apart on me now, girl."

Soo wiped her eyes and nodded. "Sorry."

Dave's face softened and he let out a big sigh. "I know it hurts. We'll talk about it over beers on that fancy yacht of yours. Right now we all need to stay frosty until we get out of this mess."

He swerved to avoid another creature in the road. As they got closer to town, the numbers increased. Dave pulled off the A-1 onto The Queens Drive, heading downtown to the harbor.

Howard leaned forward, staring out the windshield. "Oh, my G.o.d. They're everywhere."

Their numbers had to be in the thousands now. In every direction they lookedaevery side street, every alley, every lawn and parking lota the creatures roamed.

"And they're homing in on us like flies to dog s.h.i.t," Dave said. "Take a look behind us."

Howard turned around. Dozens ran after the van, trying to keep up. As the streets grew more narrow and filled with cars and debris, Dave found it difficult to maintain a speed to stay ahead of them.

"Turn up there," Soo shouted. "That'll take us down by the harbor."

Dave did a hard right, just missing a parked car. They crested the hill and had a clear view of the harbor below. A docked cruise ship dominated the horizon. On the other side of the bay, the marina of the yacht club held the keys to their salvation. Dozens of boats of all sizes waited for them. Soo studied the boats, trying to find an ideal candidate before they arrived at the docks, to save time.

Dave cursed and slammed on the brakes. The yacht club was on a small peninsula off the mainland and only one road led to it. A fire had consumed the entire area. It had long burned out, but not before weakening the foundation of a four-story building, causing it to collapse. It completely blocked the one and only road to the marina.

The van had stopped just long enough for the following swarm of creatures to catch up. Dave shifted into reverse and attempted a Y turn as they attacked the vehicle. He accelerated and plowed through a group of them before they started leaping out of the way.

Howard leaned forward and pointed. "What about that one?" A yacht sat anch.o.r.ed a hundred yards off sh.o.r.e beyond the cruise ship.

"How in the h.e.l.l are we supposed to get to it, genius?" Dave asked. "And why is it even sitting out there?"

"That's at least an eighty footer," Soo answered. "They probably anch.o.r.ed it there and took the tender to sh.o.r.e. A lot easier than trying to dock it."

"All we have to do is get to the water," said Howard. "We already know they won't follow."

"s.h.i.t." Dave muttered under his breath.

More of them streamed down the hill to join the chase. It seemed every single one of them in town was now after them. He took a hard left, pushing the van's center of gravity to the limit as the tires squealed in protest.

The yacht sat almost directly off sh.o.r.e. Speeding directly alongside the cruise ship at forty miles an hour, Dave saw the road end abruptly at the end of the dock. The creatures behind couldn't keep up at that speed, but hundreds swarmed from the left. Within seconds they would be in the van's path.

"Okay," he called. "We're gonna swim for it, going in hard. We won't have time to stop at the edge and jump in."

"Are you nuts?" Howard said.

"You're G.o.dd.a.m.ned right. Quick, open that side door." Dave lowered both front windows all the way down. "When we hit the water everybody get out as quick as you can before it goes under."

Howard grabbed Emily tight and opened the sliding door on the side of the van. The end of the road was just seconds away.

Dave gripped the wheel and slammed the accelerator to the floor. "Brace for impact! Keep your seat belts on, it's gonna be rough."

The van left the pavement, hitting an uneven dip before going airborne. The steering wheel wrenched violently, ripped from Dave's hand. The van hit the water at an angle doing almost fifty. Water crashed through the open door and windows, slamming into them like a wall.

A handful of overzealous creatures couldn't stop in time and tumbled into the bay after the van, thrashing in the water before drowning. The rest of them stood at the water's edge, squealing and hissing in frustration as the vehicle slipped under the surface and was gone.

Sixteen.

Howard thought he'd been ready. But the van had filled so quickly, the impact had been so sudden. His head hurt. Did he hit it on something? He fumbled for the seat belt release but couldn't seem to make his fingers work. He remembered Emily and turned to her, to make sure she got her belt off, but she wasn't there. None of them were. The van was empty. He was alone. He tugged at the belt, pushed the b.u.t.ton again and again. His lungs burned for air. Salt water stung his eyes. Darkness.

Seventeen.

One breath. That's all it would take. It would hurt as water rushed into his lungs, but only for a second, really. No more running, no more suffering. He kept tugging at the seat belt, still unable to make it work and not understanding why. The van stopped moving as the last of the air bubbles escaped through the windows and ascended to the surface. He must be at the bottom of the harbor.

Movement in the murky darkness. A pair of hands groped him. Suddenly the pressure of the seat belt lessened and he was being pulled from the van. Soo. Even in the depths of the harbor he could make out her long dark hair swirling over her face. Her eyes, filled with terror, pierced the murky water as she pulled him close then kicked, pulling him upward.

Kick. Fight. Don't take that last breath.

The pressure in his ears lessened and the murky darkness cleared. Howard exhaled a second before surfacing and sucked in a deep breath of air. Water burned inside his chest and he coughed. Soo didn't lessen her grip.

"Howard! Are you okay?" she screamed into his ear. She didn't even seem out of breath.

He didn't answer, just continued breathing and coughing but he managed a smile at her. She threw her arms around him and squeezed, causing both of them to go under for a second. Howard coughed again and she laughed, apologizing for almost drowning him.

Dave treaded water ten feet away. Emily had both arms around his neck and dared to let go with one for a quick wave to Howard.

"Come on," Soo said. "We have to get to the boat. Can you swim?"

Howard nodded and started swimming for the yacht. They approached the rear of the boat and pulled themselves up onto the swim platform. Everyone sat for a moment to catch their breath and to take in the view of the dock. Every square inch appeared to be filled with the creatures. The hunters sat and stared, patiently waiting to see if their prey would return to sh.o.r.e.

Dave slowly stood up. "Come on. Let's see if we can get this thing under way." They searched the yacht a an 84-foot Azimut. Very luxurious, very Italian, and very expensive. As Soo suspected, the ship's tender, a rigid-hulled inflatable boat, was missing. The pa.s.sengers and crew had gone ash.o.r.e at one point and never returned. They were relieved to find no bodies in any area of the boat.

Soo sat down at the controls, feeling less than confident as the others watched over her shoulder. Her uncle's salmon boat was old and a.n.a.log, nothing but the basics. What she sat in front of now looked like the c.o.c.kpit of a s.p.a.ce shuttle; she wasn't even sure how to start the engines. But even though it had cost millions, it was still just a boat.

"I'll figure it out," she said. "I just need some time."

Howard, Dave, and Emily left her alone and explored the rest of the yacht. They had lost the meager rations and supplies they had taken from the hotel, but it didn't matter. The ship's galley had been recently stocked and there was plenty to eat and drink. The perishable food had long pa.s.sed but there was enough dry and canned goods, drinks, and water to last for at least a week. All three decks were beautifully appointed, the four sleeping cabins cozy and comfortable.

"Tell you what," Dave said as he stood out on the sundeck, "we have a knack for finding some pretty nice places to crash. First the resort, and now this little dingy." He opened the wet bar minifridge and studied the label on a bottle of champagne inside. "At this rate, I'm gonna get spoiled."

"You're telling me," Howard said. "Don't forget where I was living the past few months, before all this."

A low rumble emerged from the bowels of the yacht as the engines started. A plum of light blue smoke floated up from the stern, and a m.u.f.fled victory cry, courtesy of Soo, was heard from below. They rushed down to find her smiling behind the wheel.

"Piece of cake." She grinned. "She's almost full on fuel and water and the GPS signal is loud and clear."

"Yeah," Howard mused. "I suppose those satellites will be zipping around up there for years to come. At least some sort of technology was spared from what happened down here."

Soo found the anchor controls and retracted it from the harbor floor. She engaged the propellers and slowly increased power. Within just a few minutes they left the infested city behind as they cleared the mouth of the harbor.

Dave placed his hand on Soo's shoulder. "Good job, girl. Fishin' didn't help land you a husband, but you sure saved our hides."

She put her hand on his and squeezed. "Don't forget your driving back there. If I had stayed at the wheel, we'd be goners."

Dave's smile faded and he looked out the window. "Do me a favor and head a few miles up the coast to the west, would ya? I just need a little breathing room from the city and I'll be saying my goodbyes."

"Goodbyes?" Howard's jaw dropped. "What are you talking about?"

"You guys don't need me anymore. You're in good hands here." He nodded at Soo. "I'm staying on dry land."

"But why?"

"Let's just say I made a promise a while back. And I never go back on my word. I still have some unfinished business here."

"Don't you wanna go to 'Merica?" Emily asked.

Dave squatted down and put his hands around her waist. "Maybe someday, hon. Maybe never. Just promise me you'll look after these two. Okay? I'm making you honorary squad leader so don't be afraid to kick a little a.s.s."

Emily giggled.

Howard and Soo stared at him. "Christ, stop acting like this is my funeral. I'll be fine. Don't worry. Believe it or not I've been in some s.h.i.t even worse than this."

Soo rose from the chair and hugged him. "You're a terrible liar. And I think you're making a mistake." He hugged her back and just nodded.

She increased speed to twenty knots and headed north for a mile before turning west. With any luck, most of the creatures watching the yacht had lost interest and moved on as it went out to sea. They sailed up the coast for eight miles to the small town of Sandy Bay. Dave carefully studied the town though binoculars as they slowly drew closer to sh.o.r.e and saw no movement at all. It was as good a as place as any. He hoped he'd be able to scrounge up some supplies and a vehicle.

s...o...b..ought the yacht as close as forty yards off the beach before she had to stop so it wouldn't hit bottom. They walked Dave down to the swim platform. He put a knife he had taken from the galley, wrapped in a dishtowel, and tucked it into his pocket. It was just a six-inch utility knife, but like everything else on the yacht, it was top of the line and razor sharp. He took comfort in knowing that if he couldn't find anything useful in Sandy Bay, he'd at least have a decent knife. Something a marine should always carry.

Howard offered his hand and Dave pulled him in for a hug. "Take care of these girls." He patted him on the back.

"I will. You take care of yourself."

He hugged Soo and Emily and jumped off the platform. They watched as he swam to sh.o.r.e, gave them a final wave from the beach, and scrambled up to the road.

"Come on," Howard said. "Let's go home."

Eighteen.

It was a perfect day to be at sea. The water was calm, the sky was clear, and the wind was light. Soo plotted a course to Cape Cruz, a straight shot, eighty nautical miles away on Cuba's southern sh.o.r.e. By the time they spotted land, the sun was starting to set. Howard stood on the bow with binoculars and looked for lights on the sh.o.r.e.

Based on the limited information the GPS map provided, Cabo Cruz looked like the remote, sleepy little town it predicted. Howard didn't know much about Cuba, and for all he knew the town never had electricity to begin with. From a mile off sh.o.r.e it was impossible to tell if the village was decimated like Jamaica or if it always looked dark after dusk. Soo dropped anchor, tired after sailing for over five hours and needing to rest. Howard studied the sh.o.r.e well after dark and never saw a thing.

Howard carefully reached over Emily and clicked off the bedside light. She muttered something and clicked her teeth together a couple of times before her breathing slowed again. He sat on the bed for a moment, watching her sleep and enjoying the simple love he felt for the little girl wash over him. Some of the best moments he had with his daughter, Lilly, involved watching her sleep. He'd often stand beside her crib at night, watching her chest rise and fall in the moonlight. Emily may not be his daughter, but he found he cared for her just as deeply.

He quietly crept out of the cabin, left the door open a crack, and stretched his muscles in the pa.s.sageway. Earlier, after enjoying a hot but quick shower, and changing into a ridiculously fluffy robe, he'd told Emily a bedtime story. She only lasted about ten minutes before nodding off, which suited him fine. He was pretty wiped out, yet oddly contented and relaxed. He felt optimistic, glad to be on the move. He had no idea what to expect once they reached the States, but for now he enjoyed the present.